This publication presents information about underemployed workers. The number of underemployed workers is an important component of underutilised labour resources in the economy, along with the number of unemployed and those with marginal attachment to the labour force. Underemployed workers are defined as part-time workers who want, and are available for more hours of work than they currently have, and full-time workers who worked part-time hours during the reference week for economic reasons (such as being stood down or insufficient work being available).

The statistics in this publication were compiled from the Underemployed Workers Survey conducted throughout Australia in September 2013 as a supplement to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS). A range of information is presented on underemployed workers including the number of hours usually worked, preferred number of hours, steps taken to find work with more hours and difficulties finding work with more hours. This publication presents information about the characteristics of underemployed workers aged 15 years and over.

For time series information on the number of underemployed workers, users are advised to use the quarterly Labour Force Survey estimates. Trend, seasonally adjusted and original estimates are published each quarter in Labour Force, Australia(cat. no. 6202.0), tables 22 to 23.

ROUNDING

As estimates have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.

CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

The ABS is progressively introducing online data collection to the LFS. For September 2013 online data collection was offered to 56% of the Labour Force sample. Of the households responding to the Underemployed Workers Survey, approximately 14% submitted their data online. For more information see the article in the April 2013 issue ofLabour Force, Australia(cat. no. 6202.0).

The September 2013 Underemployed Workers survey is fully based on the new sample introduced after the 2011 Census of Population and Housing. For more information see the article in the May 2013 issue of Labour Force, Australia(cat. no. 6202.0).

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Labour Force and Supplementary Survey Section on Canberra (02) 6252 7206, email <labour.statistics@abs.gov.au>.